Azerbaijan and Poland take the Aquathlon World Championship victories in Spain
Elite and Under-23 double Gold for Poland’s Alicja Ulatowska
There were two new names on the list of winners of the ITU Aquathlon World Championship today in Pontevedra, Spain.
Elite Men
Despite a swim of only 1km, a trio of three athletes – Kevin Tarek Vinuela (ESP), Martin Bau (SLO) and Ander Noain Lacamara (ESP) – were able to gain a not insignificant lead of 24 seconds over the field. World Triathlon Series veteran Dmitry Polyanskiy (RUS) was the next athlete to reach transition, leading a long line of athletes ahead of the 5km run. Typically a front pack swimmer at the highest levels, that deficit would prove costly.
Spanish @KevinTarek leads the Aquathlon WC after the swim #itupontevedra19 pic.twitter.com/wFRWSjvNCl
— ITU Multisport (@ITUmultisport) May 2, 2019
The Slovenian, Bau, had a poor transition which left the two Spaniards ahead and it was Vinuela who hit the turnaround point on the first of two run laps first. Azerbaijan’s Rostislav Pevtsov was moving well from the chase group and by the end of the first lap he had reduced the lead of Vinuela to just 10 seconds with Polyanskiy now third, a further five seconds behind the Bronze medallist from the 2015 Baku European Games.
Pevtsov has extensive experience in the World Triathlon Series and the writing was on the wall; he caught the Spaniard early in the second lap, surged and quickly pulled clear. He was not going to be caught, but Vinuela held strong and would hold off the experienced Polyanskiy, to take the Silver medal ahead of the Russian.
Congratulations Rostislav Pevtsov AZE #ITUpontevedra19 Aquathlon elite men's World Champion!
🎥 https://t.co/140phpEojL@ITUmultisport @ITUpontevedra19 @TRIATLONSP pic.twitter.com/2Gs9m9kNbo— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) May 2, 2019
Elite Women
Zsanett Bragmayer (HUN) was first through the swim in 13:43, but she had Alicja Ulatowska (POL), Márta Kropkó (HUN), Bianca Seregni (ITA) and Julie Lemmolo (FRA) for company. Cross Triathlon Bronze medallist, Nicole Walters, was down in 28th position and 2:18 back starting the run.
Las primeras mujeres del Mundial de Acuatlón ya están corriendo #ITUpontevedra19 pic.twitter.com/kX9oGgCCE4
— ITUpontevedra19 (@ITUpontevedra19) May 2, 2019
The race became a head-to-head between Bragmayer and Ulatowska and with just 200m they were locked together. As the blue carpet approached, the Under-23 Polish athlete unleashed a blistering sprint which Bragmeyer had no answer for. It was a great finish and behind, Itzel Arroyo Aquino (MEX) ran through to take the Bronze, to ensure two Under-23 athletes on the Senior podium.
Congratulations! Alicja Ulatowska POL!#ITUpontevedra19 Aquathlon elite women's World Champion!
🎥 https://t.co/140phpEojL@ITUmultisport @ITUpontevedra19 @TRIATLONSP pic.twitter.com/6juOPPDEod— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) May 2, 2019
Catch up on all of the reports from Pontevedra 2019:
Pontevedra ITU Aquathlon World Championships – Thursday 2nd May 2019
1km swim / 5km run – ELITE
ELITE MEN
1st – Rostislav Pevtsov (AZE) – 28:52
2nd – Kevin Vinuela (ESP) – 29:15
3rd – Dmitry Polyanskiy (RUS) – 29:22
ELITE WOMEN
1st – Alicja Ulatowska (POL) – 33:10
2nd – Zsanett Bragmayer (HUN) – 33:15
3rd – Itzel Arroyo Aquino (MEX)
U23 MEN
1st – Ander Noain Lacamara (ESP) – 29:39
2nd – Kamil Damentka (POL) – 29:42
3rd – Andres Cendan Llorens (ESP) – 29:48
¡Ander Noain @TRIATLONSP es campeón del mundo sub 23 de Acuatlón! #ITUpontevedra19 pic.twitter.com/L5muxUmFuD
— ITUpontevedra19 (@ITUpontevedra19) May 2, 2019
U23 WOMEN
1st – Alicja Ulatowska (POL) – 33:10
2nd – Itzel Arroyo Aquino (MEX)
3rd – Julie Lemmolo (HUN) – 34:11
JUNIOR MEN
1st – Esteban Basanta Fouz (ESP) – 30:10
2nd – Jorge Gonzalez Marino (ESP) – 30:45
3rd – Vitalii Vorontsov (UKR) – 30:54
JUNIOR WOMEN
1st – Bianca Seregni (ITA) – 33:33
2nd – Eva Daniels (LUX) – 33:36
3rd – Márta Kropkó (HUN) – 33:49
PARA – PTVI
1st – Leo Hynes (IRL) – 47:29
2nd – Iain Dawson (GBR) – 48:59
